▪ I. † hird, hired Obs.
Forms: 1 h{iacu}red, h{iacu}ered, h{yacu}red, héored, héorod, 2–3 hired, 2–4 hird, (3 (Orm.) also hirrd), 3–4 hyrd, 4 hyrt, 4–5 herd(e.
[OE. h{iacu}red, h{iacu}rd-es household, family, shortened from *h{iacu}wrǽd (cf., in same sense, h{iacu}wrǽden fem.) = OHG., MHG. hîrât marriage, setting up of a household (mod.Ger. heirat, also heurat), from *hîurât, *hîwrât, Goth. type *heiwarêds; f. hîwan members of a household, Goth. heiwa- household- + -rǽd, condition, state, -red.]
1. A household, family; a company of servants or retainers, a retinue; a king's court; also, a monastic household.
| c 888 K. ælfred Boeth. xxxvi. §1 On sumes cyninges hirede. c 893 ― Oros. vi. xxx. §7 Lucinius bebead þæt nan cristen mon ne come on his hierede. c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. Matt. xxiv. 45 Ðeᵹn..ðone ᵹesette hlaferd his ofer hiorod his. c 975 Rushw. Gosp. Matt. xiii. 27 Cumende..to fæder þas heoredes. c 1000 ælfric Hom. I. 314 Se halᵹa hyred. c 1000 Ags. Gosp. Matt. x. 25 Gyf hi þæs hiredes fæder belzebub clypedon [c 1160 Hatton G., þas hyrdes fæder]. 1045 Will Thurstan in Thorpe Chart. 574 Se hird on Seynt Eadmundsbiri. a 1100 Ags. Voc. in Wr.-Wülcker 308 Familia, hiwræden oððe hired. a 1100 O.E. Chron. an. 1085 Se cyng..heold þær his hired .v. daᵹas. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 89 Ðat halie hired cristes apostles. c 1200 Ormin 10926 Þatt Cristess hirrd, Crisstene follc. Ibid. 15890 Hemm drifeþþ Crist ut off hiss hird. c 1205 Lay. 6152 Forði-wende þat hired swa þæ king hæhte. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 1001 Of is hird euerilc wapman wurð circumcis. c 1350 Will. Palerne 1120 He..dede him on gate holly wiþ al his herde þat he a-sembled. a 1440 Sir Degrev. 1088 Ffolke frouschen in fere, In herd ys not to hyde. |
2. Comb. (only in
OE. and early
ME.):
hired-child, child of the house;
hirdcnave,
hirdcniht,
hirdswain, a household attendant, retainer, menial;
hirdfolc, household servants, followers;
hired-gome, man of the court;
hirdifere, attendants;
hiredplæie, courtly amusement. Also
hirdman.
| c 1205 Lay. 16553 Þet þine *hired-childeren pleien mid þissen hunde. |
| Ibid. 5664 Ne næuer nænne *hird-cnaue. |
| c 1000 ælfric Hom. I. 374 Ðæs caseres ðeᵹnas and *hired-cnihtas. c 1205 Lay. 4316 Anne hird-cniht he hauede. |
| Ibid. 6463 Þa hahte he al his *hird-folc faren to are burȝe. |
| Ibid. 12289 Aure ælcne *hired-gume feire heo igrætten. |
| Ibid. 6631 Þer he hundede on comelan Wið his *hird-iferen. |
| Ibid. 14481 Mid haueken & mid hunden *hired-plæie luuien. |
| Ibid. 5662 Þet he..neaue nenne *herd-swein. |
▪ II. hird, -e obs. ff.
herd n.1 and n.2,
herd v.
2,
obs. pa. tense
hire.